Unprecedented trade wind strength is shifting global warming to the oceans, but for how much longer? | Dana Nuccitelli | Environment. Research looking at the effects of Pacific Ocean cycles has been gradually piecing together the puzzle explaining why the rise of global surface temperatures has slowed over the past 10 to 15 years. A new study just published in Nature Climate Change, led by Matthew England at the University of New South Wales, adds yet another piece to the puzzle by examining the influence of Pacific trade winds. While the rate of surface temperature warming has slowed in recent years, several studies have shown that the warming of the planet as a whole has not. This suggests that the slowed surface warming is not due as much to external factors like decreased solar activity or more pollutants in the atmosphere blocking sunlight, but more due to internal factors shifting the heat into the oceans.
In particular, the rate at which the deep oceans have warmed over the past 10 to 15 years is unprecedented in the past half century. La Niña. La Niña (/lɑːˈniːnjə/, Spanish pronunciation: [la ˈniɲa]) is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the counterpart of El Niño as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate pattern. During a period of La Niña, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C.
In the United States, an appearance of La Niña happens for at least five months of La Niña conditions. The name La Niña originates from Spanish, meaning "little girl," analogous to El Niño meaning "little boy. " La Niña, sometimes informally called "anti-El Niño", is the opposite of El Niño, where the latter corresponds instead to a higher sea surface temperature by a deviation of at least 0.5 °C, and its effects are often the reverse of those of El Niño.
El Niño is known for its potentially catastrophic impact on the weather along the Chilean, Peruvian, New Zealand, and Australian coasts, among others. Effects[edit] Regional impacts of La Niña. El Niño. "El Nina" redirects here. It is not to be confused with La Niña. The 1997–98 El Niño observed by TOPEX/Poseidon. The white areas off the Tropical Western coasts of northern South and all Central America as well as along the Central-eastern equatorial and Southeastern Pacific Ocean indicate the pool of warm water.[1] El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (commonly called ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (between approximately the International Date Line and 120°W), including off the Pacific coast of South America.
El Niño Southern Oscillation refers to the cycle of warm and cold temperatures, as measured by sea surface temperature, SST, of the tropical central and eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño is accompanied by high air pressure in the western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern Pacific. Definition[edit] Effects of ENSO warm phase (El Niño)[edit] South America[edit] El Niño could raise meteorological hell this year. It’s more likely than not that El Niño will rise from the Pacific Ocean this year — and some scientists are warning that it could grow into a bona fide monster. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center put out a bulletin Thursday saying there’s a greater than 50 percent chance that El Niño will develop later this year. Australian government meteorologists are even more confident — they said earlier this week that there’s a greater than 70 percent chance that El Niño will develop this summer.
Not totally clear on what this El Niño thing even is? Andrew Freedman explains at Mashable: El Niño and La Niña events refer to fluctuations in air and ocean conditions in the tropical Pacific. El Niño events are characterized by warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, and they add heat to the atmosphere, thereby warming global average temperatures. Is a Super El Nino Coming Next Winter? There are increasing reports in the media of the potential for a SUPER EL NINO next winter, one reminiscent of the some of the great ones, like 1997 and 1982. During the last two years we have been in a neutral (or La Nada) situation with the tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SST) and winds being near normal. But a strong El Nino, in which the waters of the tropical Pacific warm substantially, could bring significant changes to U.S. weather, including:The movement of the jet stream southward into California, bringing the potential for heavy precipitation next winter.Poor snow pack and less major storms in the Northwest Warmer temperatures over the northern tier of the U.S.
And a major El Nino would warm the entire planet, and could result in record global temperatures that would heat up global warming concerns. So what is the chance of a major El Nino and its effects? Let's check the evidence. But first what is this El Nino animal in the first place? There is something else. El Nino may bring good weather news this summer. A map shows sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean Wednesday. NOAA: 50% of El Nino this summer or fallThe pattern would mean warmer atmosphereCalifornia could get a relief from droughtRecord-breaking El Nino was 1997 to 1998 (CNN) -- After the craziness of the winter weather, it's time for some positive predictions, right?
Meteorologists are on the lookout for a weather pattern that could mean a milder hurricane season for the East Coast this summer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday that there's about a 50% chance of a weather phenomenon called El Nino developing this summer or fall. That's not a guarantee, but conditions are favorable enough in the next six months to warrant an "El Nino Watch. " An El Nino event occurs about once every three to seven years, said Kevin Trenberth, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. But those of you on the U.S. The last record-breaking El Nino event was in 1997 to 1998.
Study sounds ‘El Niño alarm’ for later this year.